amz wrote:I am not very optimistic, in last games Timisoara showed poor form, lack of discipline and they seemed to feel quite bad the streak of injuries they had in Cup and first rounds of Super Liga but I hope they'll be much more focused for their debut in European Cups.

This is what I wrote before Challenge Cup first match of Timisoara. Their lack of form and average defense was visible in SL in Spring and become more obvious in Cup and King's Cup as the season advanced. They were dominated in the forwards are which previously was one of their strength and discipline was abysmal. I don't know what happens exactly, if it's the coach or just the team hit and now is decreasing in performance due to age of some players. I think is a combination of both.

"Owing to a small section of the pitch being frozen at Stade Jean Bouin, kick-off has been delayed in the Challenge Cup Pool 5 fixture between Stade Francais Paris and Harlequins. It is hoped that the match will start at the same venue at 15.30 local time"

Starting November 2016, Mizuno has replaced BLK. Before that the official kit wasn't available for sale, only some replica shirts under a different badge. Maybe the rugby union got a better deal this time.

Unfortunately, at this moment, I think everybody in Romania has his mind set on much more important issues. I'm afraid you won't get to many replies these days(even the Romanian rugby forum barely has a few replies in the last 4-5 days). I like to think (it has been confirmed actually when reading the Romanian forum) that the rugby community in this country is more socially active than average. And that attitude is vital, here, in the next period of time!

To be honest, if a Union has a problem to have shirts available for the fans (especially before the most important tournament of the year), it is an obvious sign of amateurism. (I can write like that, because this is also the case with the German Rugby union).

Actually I don't think that there is a more important issue than to provide merchanidising stuff to the fans, if you want to be successful and what rugby in general lacks.

How to grow rugby worldwide?Look at the world ranking in July. Teams ranked 1-10 have to play one team from 11-20 (they don't play in a regular competition) away the next year. 11-20 play 21-30 away and so on. Yes, it really is that simple.

There are replicas for sale at the stadium, older models or newer ones but not the original ones, only copies. I think they got stuck with lot of shirts in stock after 2011 RWC (some were in the shop even in 2016) so I suspect they aren't happy to put too much money into it. Also there are available polo shirts, t-shirts and generally all type of sports clothes with Rugby Romania logo and local firm logo (Tall Ball).

RugbyLiebe wrote:Actually I don't think that there is a more important issue than to provide merchanidising stuff to the fans, if you want to be successful and what rugby in general lacks.

Sorry,I wasn't clear enough. I meant there are more important issues than rugby in general. For the past 4 -5 days hundreds of thousands of people have protested against a corrupt government all over the country, the largest protest since 1989.

ah.....Fair enough, luca_tim & amz this makes sense. Stay safe and I hope that the protests stay peacefully and can make a difference!

How to grow rugby worldwide?Look at the world ranking in July. Teams ranked 1-10 have to play one team from 11-20 (they don't play in a regular competition) away the next year. 11-20 play 21-30 away and so on. Yes, it really is that simple.

And it seems FRR is asking fans to help removing snow. Even if it won't be the best conditions to play for my team I hope the game goes ahead. A failure after what happened in Challenge Cup would be a huge blow to Romania international image.

The announcement was made by JRFU rugby a couple of weeks ago. The game v Romania, like the two games v Ireland will be at a 2019RWC venue, EGAO Kenko Stadium (Formerly Umakana Yokana Stadium) in Kumamoto, Kyushu Island. I'm 99.99% sure this is the first ever international test match in Kumamoto. It has occasionally played host to TL games though Kumamoto doesn't have a TL team of its own. The 2nd image was from last year's TL a bit after RWC2015 when rugby was on a high in Japan and Yamaha with Japan FB Goromaru played Kyushu Island team Coca Cola Red Sparks and attracted 18K crowd. Hopefully for Japan's first ever game in Kumamoto they'll get as good or even better crowd.

From your link "In conclusion, Eseria Vueti isn’t eligible to play for Romania’s fifteen-a-side team. He won’t be until he acquires Romanian citizenship AND plays an Olympic qualifying tournament."

I thought this eligibility hole was just open for the very first Olympics? Is it still in place. (not that it matters now as the next qualification tournament will probably be in 2020.

How to grow rugby worldwide?Look at the world ranking in July. Teams ranked 1-10 have to play one team from 11-20 (they don't play in a regular competition) away the next year. 11-20 play 21-30 away and so on. Yes, it really is that simple.

Joke aside I don't think Oaks will ever select a player without liaise first with World Rugby in this matter. Anyway, on FRR page it is clearly written that some players were called to accustom them with the environment and to see if they're fit into the team which I suspect it's the case with Vueti. He stated on few occasions that he feels great here and would like to stay as long as possible. This could mean that he wants to acquire even citizenship (as Sheenan).

However, I think there is another player with the same name, Vueti, and from WR website it isn't clear that is his full name. That Vueti may be a back not a forward. Maybe is this player? Mind you, were only 22 players on the team sheet so I for one cannot tell for sure as the respective Vueti can be a backrow or a back. http://sports.opera.com/info@f-hc.de?sp ... ion_id=www

So if he didn't played against a senior rep team or next senior rep team he's eligible and only WR could tell for sure which Vueti is. The article sounds a bit like the tabloid.

No worries, the Golden Age of Romanian eligible players with parents born in Romania will be there in 15-20 years and last for at least 50 years, if those grand-parent-laws are not changed.

Actually an interesting topic: how much will rugby playing nations like Romania, Poland or Bulgaria profit from mass emigration of our or previous eras. Germany nearly missed it entirely, Italy made the most out of it, Spain has definitely made additional progress from it.

How to grow rugby worldwide?Look at the world ranking in July. Teams ranked 1-10 have to play one team from 11-20 (they don't play in a regular competition) away the next year. 11-20 play 21-30 away and so on. Yes, it really is that simple.

No worries, the Golden Age of Romanian eligible players with parents born in Romania will be there in 15-20 years and last for at least 50 years, if those grand-parent-laws are not changed.

Actually an interesting topic: how much will rugby playing nations like Romania, Poland or Bulgaria profit from mass emigration of our or previous eras. Germany nearly missed it entirely, Italy made the most out of it, Spain has definitely made additional progress from it.

There are / have been several players at the Welsh regions with Polish surnames which reflects recent migration to South Wales from Eastern Europe. Chris Czekaj was capped for Wales some years ago and I think he would have been eligible, as would the U20 Blues prop Corey Domachowski. At the moment though I think remaining Welsh qualified (and therefore eligible for WQ-quotas) is much more attractive to these players than playing for the Polish national side.

Joke aside I don't think Oaks will ever select a player without liaise first with World Rugby in this matter. Anyway, on FRR page it is clearly written that some players were called to accustom them with the environment and to see if they're fit into the team which I suspect it's the case with Vueti. He stated on few occasions that he feels great here and would like to stay as long as possible. This could mean that he wants to acquire even citizenship (as Sheenan).

However, I think there is another player with the same name, Vueti, and from WR website it isn't clear that is his full name. That Vueti may be a back not a forward. Maybe is this player? Mind you, were only 22 players on the team sheet so I for one cannot tell for sure as the respective Vueti can be a backrow or a back. http://sports.opera.com/info@f-hc.de?sp ... ion_id=www

So if he didn't played against a senior rep team or next senior rep team he's eligible and only WR could tell for sure which Vueti is. The article sounds a bit like the tabloid.